Eternal Rest
by aperfectchapter
Summary: Before sacrificing herself so Conner can live, Darla makes Cordelia promise her something. Short AU oneshot.


First Angel fic, so play nice kids. I was just watching a Whedonverse panel that featured Charisma Carpenter [Cordelia] & Julie Benz [Darla] and this short little one shot came to mind. I wish they would have had more scenes together, their friendship is adorable. An AU birth scene taking place somewhere between 3.7 & 3.9

Title & opening lyrics are **Eternal Rest by Avenged Sevenfold** from the album **Waking The Fallen**.

**Eternal Rest**

_Dark in their hearts,__**  
><strong>__I can feel it burn inside of me__**  
><strong>__Tormented young with no souls, haunting me__**  
><strong>__Pain in their lives all they know is misery__**  
><strong>__Take these chains away that are holding me down__**  
><strong>__Go now__**  
><strong>__Run and hide__**  
><strong>__Eternal rest in time_

Cordelia sat by Lornes bedside where a very pregnant Darla rested. It was the first time she'd ever actually felt sorry for the woman, as evil as she was, she looked so peaceful sleeping with her hands rested on her occupied stomach. Sure, she kind of hated Darla, considering she'd tried to kill her, but still, seeing her there, only worried about her child made Cordelia see her in a different light.

Darla awoke, wincing in pain and the brunette quickly jumped out of the way, stopping once she was at least ten feet away from the vampire. But Darla didn't move from the bed, she didn't change, her eyes were calm and full of fear.  
>Without realizing it, Cordy walked closer to the blonde, sitting in the seat she had been in moments before. Darla had already made up her mind, she knew that there was no way she could deliver this baby, and she couldn't let him die. It was the only good thing she'd done, and she had been around for centuries. It was redemption in itself, bringing something pure into the world, maybe she could finally rest in peace.<p>

"You have to promise me something" Darla spoke, looking pleadingly at Cordelia, who now looked confused and on edge.

"I'm not letting you go so you can feed.." she warned, but Darla shook her head, and gave the girl an innocent smile, one that actually seemed sincere.

"No, it's not that.." the blonde promised, still smiling, "I just want you to love them. Love them both with everything that you have.." she said softly.

"What.." Cordelia was still in a state of confusion as she saw that Darla was clutching a wooden stake in her left hand. "Darla.. you can't"

"It's the only way. Either I die, or we both do. Just promise me that you'll take care of them"

"I will" she promised, tears forming in her hazel eyes as she saw tears in the vampires eyes as well.

"Tell Angelus that this boy, this beautiful boy is the best, and only good thing I've ever been a part of. Don't tell him about me until he's old enough, just raise him as if he was yours.. love him like he has always belonged to you, he deserves that. Only you can give him the life that he deserves." Darla winced in pain again, tears falling from her face, "someday, tell him that his mother loved him. Tell him that in all of the time that I existed, he is the only thing I have ever truly loved." Cordelia was at a loss for words, she just nodded, tears streaming freely down her face. "They're yours now Cordelia, take care of them. Please, never let them go. Love them."  
>Before Cordelia could scream for Angel or any of the others, Darla had given her one last smile before driving the stake through her heart, leaving a pile of dust on the bed. The baby boy started to cry, and instinctively Cordelia picked him up, wrapping him up in a blanket as she rocked him to stop the crying. As the whimpers of the baby stopped, five bodies came rushing through the door, all looking at the baby in Cordelias hands. Angel looked at Cordy holding his son, tears in his eyes as he walked closer. She handed the little bundle of blankets to him, their teary eyes locked in each other's. She didn't have to say a word, he knew everything that had happened. Darla had sacrificed herself so that the only thing she loved could be loved and she had known that the only woman who could be the mother that her son deserved was Cordelia.<br>"Conner" he smiled, pulling Cordelia closer to him with one arm, as the eyes of their friends watched them in silence.

**Told you it was going to be really short. It's just a story that was brewing in this little mind of mine.  
>Reviews would make me happy though!<br>You will probably see more one shots & I'm also working on another Angel story called "The Strength Of The World" So be on the look out!  
>XoXo,<br>Andi Nicole.**


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